Chapter 2
Jake
Sitting here across from Mia, her words hanging heavy in the air between us, I can't help but feel a sense of amusement at our current situation.
Here we are, two adults who've known each other for years, dancing around this tension that's always lingered beneath the surface.
It's like we're playing some elaborate game of cat and mouse, neither one willing to admit just how much we want to pounce.
But despite the humor of it all, I know we need to steer clear of that particular conversational rabbit hole—at least for now.
Mia's always been proud, never one to wear her heart on her sleeve or ask for help when she needs it.
If she thinks I'm laughing at her, she'll clam up faster than a steel trap.
It's kind of weird that we're talking about this all of a sudden, especially tonight, when she just came back. But she's the one who brought it up, so that's on her.
Keeping what I know in mind, I decide to change the subject entirely, hoping to lighten the mood and get us back onto more solid ground, even though she's probably not going to like it.
"Regardless," I say, leaning forward and resting my elbows on my knees, "you know what we need? A proper welcome-home celebration."
Mia raises an eyebrow at me, clearly taken aback by the sudden shift in topic. "What do you mean?" she asks warily. She's probably asking herself what my plan is. She doesn't need to worry. I'm not planning anything dangerous. Not yet, anyway.
I grin, spreading my hands wide. "Just what I said. You've had a rough few weeks, and now you're back home. We should mark the occasion."
She rolls her eyes, but I can see the corners of her mouth twitching like she's trying not to smile. "And how exactly do you propose we do that?"
"Well," I say, standing up and rubbing my hands together in mock excitement, "for starters, I think it's time for a movie marathon."
Mia laughs softly, shaking her head. "You want to watch movies? Now?"
"Why not?" I ask, feigning offense. "It's a perfectly reasonable way to spend an evening. Plus, it'll give you something to do besides ruminating on your ex and all his many flaws."
She snorts at that, but she's smiling now, really smiling, and the sight of it sends a warmth spreading through me. This is what I wanted—to see her laugh again.
Heading towards the TV cabinet to rifle through our movie collection, I can feel Mia's gaze on me, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Jake," she says after a moment, her voice laced with skepticism, "what are you really up to?"
I glance back at her over my shoulder, feigning innocence. "What do you mean? I'm just trying to be a good host and make sure our guest of honor is properly entertained."
She crosses her arms, not buying it for a second. "You can't seriously expect me to believe that you're suddenly interested in having a movie marathon at midnight on a random Tuesday."
I turn back to the movies, hiding my smile as I scan the titles.
"Well, it's not like we have anything better to do," I point out.
"And besides, I thought this would be a nice distraction for you.
You know, something to take your mind off.
.. things." I gesture vaguely towards her with one hand, hoping she'll let it go.
But Mia isn't so easily deterred. She crosses the room to join me by the TV cabinet, her eyes scanning the spines of the movies as if looking for some hidden meaning in my selection. "You know what I think?" she says after a moment, her voice soft but firm.
I turn to face her, raising an eyebrow. "What do you think?"
She meets my gaze head-on, her chin tilted defiantly. "I think you're trying to change the subject because our last conversation was getting a little too... intense for your liking."
I freeze, caught off guard by her directness. It's not like Mia to call me out on something like this, especially when it comes to our own feelings and desires. But then again, she's never been one to back down from a challenge, or to let someone get away with avoiding an issue.
"Mia," I begin, my voice carefully neutral, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Mia's eyes narrow as she studies me, clearly not buying my attempt at nonchalance. "Come on, Jake," she presses, taking a step closer to me. "You can't just drop a bombshell like that and then expect us to move on like nothing happened."
Doesn't she remember that she was the one who brought up that topic in the first place?
I swallow hard, suddenly very aware of the proximity between our bodies.
Her eyes are locked onto mine, challenging me to tell her the truth.
And God help me, I want to. I want to tell her everything, that I still can't stop thinking about her, that I've fought against my feelings because of her brother's trust in me (I may have even already told her that multiple times directly or not), and that now, seeing her here like this.
.. it's testing every ounce of my self-control.
And she knows that, and that's why she's sexy and irresistible.
But I can't. Not yet. Because if I start down that road, there's no telling where we'll end up, and right now, with Ryan deployed overseas and our families trusting us to look out for each other, it feels like a line we shouldn't cross. I just don't want to fuck anything up.
So instead, I take a deep breath and try to defuse the tension, hoping she won't notice the slight tremor in my voice. "Mia," I say softly, "I just thought it would be nice if we could spend some time together without... all that hanging over us."
She hesitates for a moment before taking another step closer, her gaze never leaving mine. The air between us feels charged with electricity, and I can practically see the thoughts racing through her mind as she considers my words. There's a lot to unpack in that moment. Can she handle it?
Then, just when I think she might call me out on my bullshit, she surprises me by letting out a small sigh and giving me a tentative smile. "Okay," she says quietly. "Movie marathon it is."
Damn, just like that? I thought it was going to be harder, that she was going to corner me until she got the truth out of me. But she surprised me, in a very good way.
Relief washes over me, and I can't help but grin back at her. "Great!" I exclaim, turning back to the movies. "So, what do you feel like watching? Something light and funny, or maybe a good action flick?"
Mia leans against the TV cabinet, watching me with an expression that's hard to read. "How about something classic?" she suggests after a moment. "Something we both know by heart."
I nod, considering her suggestion. "Deal," I say finally, pulling out a well-worn copy of The Princess Bride. "But only if you promise not to quote every line along with the actors."
Fat chance she's going to do that. We both know that it was a joke.
She laughs softly, and for a moment, it feels like maybe—just maybe—we can make this work.
Two weeks under the same roof, with nothing but old movies and each other for company.
It's going to be tough, keeping my hands off her when all I want is to pull her close and show her just how much I've wanted her all these years.
But I can do it. For what's better, I can do it.
"Uhh, but first, I need to do something," she says suddenly, turning away from me. Before I can ask what that might be, she's already halfway up the stairs, her bare feet padding softly against the carpet. Where's she going and what is it that she needs to do that's so important? I need to know.
I watch her go, my eyes lingering on the sway of her hips and the way her cutoff shorts reveal just a hint of thigh with each step. It takes an effort to tear my gaze away from her retreating form, but I force myself to focus on setting up the movie instead.
As I'm grabbing some popcorn from the kitchen, I hear Mia's footsteps overhead again, followed by a surprised gasp that makes me freeze in place. "Jake?" she calls down after a moment, her voice laced with confusion and something else, something that sets my heart racing.
I set the popcorn bowl on the counter and make my way back into the living room, looking up just as Mia appears at the top of the stairs, her face pale and eyes wide. "What's wrong?" I ask immediately, concern etched in my voice.
She takes a few steps down, her hand gripping the banister tightly. "It's... it's just that," she starts, then hesitates before finishing, "my room is gone."
I blink at her, not quite sure I heard her right. "What do you mean, 'your room is gone'?"
She gestures helplessly toward the top of the stairs. "I went to check some stuff in there, and... it's a gym now," she says, as if that explanation should make perfect sense.
A laugh bubbles up in my throat before I can stop it, equal parts amusement at her disbelief and relief that whatever had caused that look on her face wasn't something truly terrible. I'd thought someone had gotten inside and was going to hurt her.
"Oh, Mia," I say, shaking my head as I climb the stairs towards her. "Your parents converted your room into a home gym while you were gone."
Her mouth falls open in shock. "What? Why?"
Why? The reason's pretty simple. Did she really think they would just keep her room exactly as it was?
I shrug, reaching the top of the stairs and standing close enough to feel the warmth radiating off her body.
"Maybe they thought it would be more useful than having an empty guest room," I suggest, trying not to notice how good she smells, like shampoo and something sweetly floral that makes my pulse quicken.
Mia crosses her arms over her chest, still looking disbelieving. "But where am I supposed to sleep?" she asks, her voice taking on a slight edge of frustration.